


A Kinder, Gentler Rivalry

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Friendship, M/M, Reunions, Rivalry, Subtext
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 16:51:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2032542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two bachelors get together for a glass of wine and discuss the nature of their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Kinder, Gentler Rivalry

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt - Fire Emblem 8, Innes/Ephraim: rivalry/friendship - "I never hated you."

With Eirika living in Caer Pelyn with her husband, Ephraim was able to travel less often than he used to be. Running a kingdom was a big responsibility, especially being still unmarried as he was. But among them Eirika was the only one to have married, Tana spending most of her time searching for a certain knight while L'Arachel refused to settle down.

And of course, there was Innes. Rumors had flown about him and L'Arachel, but nothing seemed to come of them. Ephraim supposed he would ask the man himself, now that he had the free time to visit Freila.

"Come on in!" Tana greeted him warmly, it was a rare occasion that she was at the castle these days. "Ephraim, it's wonderful to see you again! You look well!" He smiled, despite never being able to return her affections for him, he always enjoyed Tana's company. It was hard not to smile with her around.

Innes, on the other hand, was more complicated. Even now Ephraim couldn't tell how the man felt about him or Renais, he'd always been so cold and competitive but was more than happy to help in the reconstruction of both Renais and Grado.

He found Innes waiting for him in the front room, surprisingly. Usually they'd meet in the practice yard, and they'd probably end up sparring that day as well. But for now, he hoped they could at least _talk_ for a bit first.

"Good to see you again, Innes," he said. Innes nodded.

"Come have a drink with me, Ephraim?"

"Sure." Ephraim smiled, and Tana looked warily at her brother.

"Don't you dare challenge him to a drinking contest, Innes!"

"Tana, why would I do such a ridiculous thing?" Innes chuckled. "Sometimes I wonder if she remembers we've both grown up since those days." He led Ephraim to the parlor, where a servant poured wine for them both before leaving. Freila's parlor looked the same as Ephraim had always remembered it, ornate but comfortable...Innes himself seemed more comfortable, too. Less grumpy, for one.

"So I trust you and Tana have both been well?" he asked. Innes nodded, taking a sip of his wine.

"Yes, though I fear by the time Tana finds that friend of hers she'll be well beyond optimal marrying age. Which puts more pressure on _me_ to find a wife." He sighed. "Freila does need heirs, after all."

"As does Renais. My advisors are starting to get antsy, reccommending all manner of women to me," Ephraim laughed. "So far they've suggested L'Arachel, your sister and a woman from Carcino. But, as we know..."

"Yes, we know." Innes sighed. "If only we weren't the first-born sons of our families, right?"

"If only!" Ephraim smiled, sipping his drink. "Ah, but we're not young boys anymore, are we? Time is passing."

"Indeed." Innes took another sip of his wine. "Still, we're hardly old men! We still have time to enjoy our bachelorhood," he said. "So tell me, how fares Renais these days?"

"Very well," Ephraim said. "I want to thank you again for all your help, Innes. Without you and Freila, I'm not sure how Renais would have gotten through the past few years." Innes turned red, setting his drink down.

"Honestly, Ephraim, such a show of emotion."

"I mean it. Especially considering, well, up until now you pretty much hated me!" He laughed a little, but Innes clearly didn't see the humor.

"Since when did I hate you?" He picked up his glass and took another sip. "Ephraim, we're rivals. We're supposed to challenge each other."

"Challenging someone shouldn't involve scowling and saying they got lucky every time they win," Ephraim snorted. "Come on, Innes, remember when we were kids? I didn't even remember what happened at Tana's birthday party because you kept dragging me off for one match after another! You always acted like my being better than you at anything was a personal slight." Innes rolled his eyes, moving his chair a little closer to Ephraim's.

"So dramatic," he sighed. "Perhaps I was always a touch competitive, a bit grumpy. But believe me, Ephraim, no matter how much I envied you there was never any hatred behind it." He smiled. "Resentment, perhaps, but never hatred." Ephraim nearly choked on his sip of wine, setting his glass down rather quickly. Admittedly, he had been a bit dramatic, but he hadn't expected Innes to be so... _open_. He wasn't known for his skill at expressing feelings.

"Really." He couldn't help smirking. "So all this time we were the best of friends and you just pretended we weren't?" he teased, also unable to help having a little fun at the other man's expense. Innes blushed, giving him a dirty look.

"Honestly, Ephraim! I go to all the trouble of pouring my heart out to you, and this is how you repay me?" But there was no missing the grin tugging at the corners of the other man's mouth; Innes could pretend all he liked, but he wasn't the grumpy prince he used to be. Not as much, anyway.

"Thank you, Innes. It means a lot to hear that from you."

"Yes, well." Innes's smile grew. "You deserved to know a long time ago. I wonder, if I'd been better with my words, could we have become true friends a long time ago?"

Ephraim smiled, moving closer to place a hand on Innes's.

"It's not too late."

Innes took his hand, squeezed it and the look on his face was the most genuine Ephraim had ever seen.

They spent the rest of the afternoon forming that new friendship, sipping wine and building new memories. Memories Ephraim would keep as close as the ones made long ago. They would still try to best each other, most likely, Innes would never lose his competitive streak. And of course, Ephraim would never stop trying to best his old records.

But true friends always challenged and encouraged each other to better themselves.


End file.
